Game apparatus



Nov. 17, 1925. 1,562,025

T. A. 'KILLMAN GAME APPARATUS FiledAg. 1o. 1925 f7 Rl' 1/ er f/0111012Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

emr-ED srA THOMAS-'19.. KILLMAN, OF NASHVTLLE, TENNESSEE.

`GrAll/[E APPARATUS.

Application filed `August 10, 192,5. Serial. No. 49,405.

To all whom #may conce/m:

.Be it vknown thatiI, THOMAS A. KILLMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatusgand`lido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accon'ipanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in game apparatus andparticularly to game apparatuscomprising a board having a pluralityofspacedfields sub-divided by 4right angle lines and diagonal lines whichintersect to'form a number of crosses in'the fields and a single crossorpoint of intersection Vin the spaces between the fields,

there being a series fof men or pieces adapted to be moved byparticipants in the game along the lines from one ,cross"7 to .the nextadjacent cross in an attempt .to move such pieces from one field toanother,'.this movement of the pieces .of .said series beingprevented,if possible, by the other participant through means of a single piecewhich, under the rulesof the game as played, has the rightto jump theother pieces and remove them `from the board Aunder circumstances whichwill yhereinafter be more fully described.

More specifically the game comprises a board-having three spaced fieldsarranged in a row, the first field representing Egypt, the next fieldrepresenting the Wilderness and the third field representing thePromised Land, with a space between the first two fields representingthe Red Sea and the space vbetween the second and lthird fieldsyrepresenting' the River Jordan. With the lines -laid out. as abovegenerally de-y scribed the series of twelve pieces, representing theTwelve Tribes of Israel, may be moved from cross to cross, in any of thethree fields, in anattemptto get them from Egyptto the Promised Land,but in crossing the spaces representing the Red Sea and the'. RiverJordan their movement is restricted toa single cross or intersection sothat their movement from Egypt to the Promised Land may be effectuallyprevented by the opposing single piece if the latter is properly used by.the participant having control vof the same. I

VViththis and other objects in view'` the invention consists in thearrangement and contruction of the board as will be hereinafter shownand described, and being specifically pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings,-

The figure represents a plan-view of the game board with themen orpieces thereon as they are initially positioned by the participants whenthe game is to be played.

The board 10 which is preferablyrectangular may be made of anysuitablematerial and may be of any desired and convenient size. Arrangedin a row lengthwise of the board is a plurality of fields preferablyalso of rectangular shape, these fields 11, 12 and 13 being spaced ashort distance from each other. Each field is subdivided by intersectinglines 14C running parallel to the boundaries of the respective fieldsand diagonal lines 1.5 extending atright angles to each otherwhich alsointersect one another at the points where the first set of lines 14intersect. yAll of the linesli terminate at the boundaries of therespective fields with the exception of one of said lines, preferablythe line 14a, located centrally of each of the threel fields. This line1ea it will be observed extends through all three of the fields andthrough the two spaces 16-17 separating` said fields. Likewise, two ofthe diagonal lilies 15a, of each field, extend into the nextadjacentffield and intersect each other at the point where they crossthe' line 14a, this intersection ofthe three lines 14a, 15a, beinglocated in the spaces 16, 17 between the fields.

For playing the game one participant is provided with a series` ofmen orpieces 1S which are initially positioned on the' board in field 11 asshown in the drawings and it is his object to move said pieces from onecross, or intersection to the next cross or intersection until saidpieces have traversed the lines from their initial position to any ofthe crosses in the field 13. To ,retard or prevent this movement of thepieces 18 the other participant makes use of' a piece 19 which isinitially positioned on the cross just outside of' field 11` as shownin. the drawings. In' .starting the game the person having the pieces i8makes the first move, the move consisting of moving one of the pieces'from a cross along one of the lines in any direction to the nextadjacent cforos-s and each time one of the pieces 18 ismoved theopponent can ymove the piece 19 in an attempt to block the movement ofthe pieces 18. If one of the pieces 18 should be located on a cross nextto the piece 19 and the next cross, beyond the piece 18, that isopposite the piece 19, should be vacant, the piece 19 in making its movecan jump the piece 18 into said vacant position, and if the jump shouldbring him into the same position relative to another piece 18 he cancontinue his move by making another jump, each piece 18 thus jumped bythe piece 19, being considered as captured and immediately removed fromthe board. In this Way piece 19 can capture and remove the severalpieces 18 and this syst-em of playing continues until as many of thepieces 18 as possible have entered the field 13 and the piece 19 hascaptured as many of the pieces 18 as possible.

To add interest to the gaine it is preferred that field 11 from whichthe pieces 18 start represent Egypt; the space 16 in which the singleintersection 2() is located represents the Red Sea; the next field 12represents the Wilderness; the next space 17 Vhaving a single point ofintersection .91

therein represents the River Jordan; and, the last field 13 which is theobjective of the ieee 18 represents the Promised Land. n this Way thepieces 18 have more or less unrestricted movement while on the portionsrepresenting` land, but when they are to be moved across those portionsrepresenting areas of water it will be seen that their direction ofmovement is very much restricted. This restriction of movement of thepieces 18 through certain areas, and the rule permitting pieces 19 tocapture the pieces 18, offsets the numerical advantages which wouldotherwise be had by the participant moving pieces 18 over theparticipant having control of the single piece 19. Following the line ofthought suggested by the representations of the fields and spaces thetwelve pieces 18 are supposed to represent the Twelve Tribes of Israeland the single piece 19, Which seeks to capture them while travelingfrom Egypt to the Proinised Land, represents a Pharaoh,

Additional entertainment can be had from the game if the pieces 18 arenumbered so that after the last piece has either en tei-ed the PromisedLand or been captured and removed from the board the numbers on thepieces 18 captured may be added and scored for the person having thepiece 19 while the numbers on the pieces that have entered the PromisedLand can be totalled and credited to the participant who has succeededin getting them into that field. .-1 certain total, say 100, may befixed upon as the goal and the game can be played such a number of timesas is necessary for one or the other of the players to attain a score of100. 1n this connection it Will be seen that the game Will be quiteuseful in not only entertaining children but it 'will also aid inteaching them to add.

WYhile the primary object of the participant having the pieces 18 is tosucceed in entering those pieces in the Promised Land or field 13, thatparticipant is also given the right to block the piece 19. As aninducement to get the piece 19 to enter a pocket or trap, the personplaying the pieces 18 can Well afford to sacrifice one or more of hispieces bearing the smaller numbers by moving them into positions wherethey may be jumped by the piece 19 so that by moving one of pieces 18after piece 19 has compieted its jump the latter Will be hemmed in orblocked in a position Where he cannot make another move. 1f the pieces18 succeed in blocking the piece 19 that particular game is at an endand the numbers on the pieces totalled as before, the total of thenumbers on the pieces captured counting for the piece 19 and the totalof the numbers of the pieces remaining on the board being credited tothe participant having the pieces 18. In view of the difference in vaiueof the various pieces 18 it Will be seen that the players must` takecare not to l expose to capture pieces bearing the larger numbers, thatis, When a piece 18 is purposely placed in a position to be caught,either to permit advance of another piece or in an attempt to block thepiece 19, such purposely-exposed piece should be one bearing a smallnumber'. As the piece 19 is subject to being blocked it isv notcompulsory to jump or capture a piece 18 if such an opportunity presentsitself but the matter is discretionary with the player. He can use hisjudgment as to Whether he Will capture the man and take a chance ofbeing pocieted or whether he will pass up the opportunity of capturingthat man for fear of' being pocketed.

That I claim is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a board having a plurality of fieldsspaced one from the other and each divided by intersecting lines alongwhich pieces are adapted to be moved from one cross or intersection tothe next adjacent cross, a plurality of lines of each field extendinginto the next adjacent field and intersecting each other at a point inthe space between said fields to form a single cross or intersection insaid space, a series of pieces adapted to be moved along any of saidlines from one field to another, and a single piece adapted to preventsaid movement of pieces from one field to another.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board having a plurality of spacedfields thereon, each field being subdivided by a plurality of linesextending at right angles to each other and diagonal lines extending atright lOl) angles to each other and crossing the intersections of thefirst set of lines, one of the lines of the first set extending througheach of' the fields and through the intervening spaces between saidfields and two of said diagonal lines of each field extending throughone of the intervening spaces into the next adjacent field andintersecting the other line extending through said space, a series ofpieces adapted to be moved along said lines Jfrom one cross orintersection to the next until they have traversed the distance from afield at one edge of the board to the field at the opposite edge, and asingle piece movable on said lines and adapted to be used for blockingmovement of said series through the restricted lined area in the spacesbetween said fields.

3. A game apparatus comprising a field representing Egypt, a secondfield spaced therefrom representing The Wilderness representing theLPromised Land, the

space between the first and second fieldsV representing Red Sea andthespace between the second and third fields representing River Jordan,each field being divided by intersecting lines forming a plurality ofcrosses or intersections in each fieid and there being` a single crossor intersection formed in each interveningl space by lines extendingfrom the adjacent field, a series of' pieces representing the LTwelveTribes of Israel adapted to be moved along said lines from one cross tothe next adjacent cross until thej7 have traversed said lines from Egyptto Promised Land and a single piece adapted to be moved along said linesto prevent such movement of' the pieces of said series.

THOMAS A. KILLMAN.

